To Live Godly Is To Be Persecuted

Everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,

While evil men and impostors will go from bad to worse,

Deceiving and being deceived. (2 Timothy 3:12)

The society that we live in belongs to the devil.

Everyone who does not belong to Christ Jesus belongs to the devil.

They are the children of the devil and under his deception and control.

If you belong to Christ Jesus you have been crucified with Christ to this world,

And you no longer live, but it is Christ who lives in you;

You are a stranger and an alien in this world;

Your home is the Kingdom of God.

If you are a stranger and alien in this world you will be persecuted,

Because the life you live tells the world that they are evil,

Even if you never speak a word to them.

The apostle Paul says:

For we (Christians) are to God the aroma of Christ

Among those who are being saved and those who are perishing.

To the one we are the smell of death;

To the other, the fragrance of life. (2 Corinthians 2:15-16)

To the world the fragrance of Christ is the smell of death;

The reality of this fragrance means their eternal death.

It tells them that they are lost and without hope;

God has built in to every person a level of perception

That they understand the only hope for them is to be found in Christ.

That is why they hate Christ and His Christians.

They do not want to come to terms with the reality of Christ 

As the only Savior

They do not want to give up their sin;

They do not want to face the reality of death, hell and the grave

And eternal damnation.

Yet God is continually speaking to every living person,

Encouraging them to come to Christ Jesus in true repentance and be saved.

Those who belong to Christ can endure persecution,

Because greater is He who is in them (Christ),

Than he who is in the world (the devil). (1 John 4:4)

Christians can do all things through Christ who strengthens them.

(Philippians 4:13)

It is also true, that some in the world;

Those who hear the still small voice of God speaking to them;

Smell the fragrance of Christ and are brought to Christ because of it.

This encourages all who stand for Christ and live for Him.